Pictures of your gear III: Pics or it's a Soldano

[Dominic.]

It's weird thinking that anything that qualifies as vintage is older than me. It's 25 years isn't it?

 

So what, Phill, RR, Musecasters, (I presume) Chedda and Goldenbollocks, and what'shisface with the Suhr strats are all the vintage kittens?

[Dave.]

I've only played a bass man on my fx (pre-amp) and even then it sounded godly. I'd love to try one sometime IRL

[james90]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N8wNmi9B40

[Dave.]

As soon as I get my new microphone I'm going to take some of all my different set-ups (I have a few different ones). Does anyone know if I have to pay for sending back an item to thomann or if they refund that?

[Impulse 101]

I'll have to make some clips, with and without a backing track. It's a unique fender circuit and the lack of reverb leads to as more pure tone, but a lot of people will miss having the verb.

 

I don't like to crank it up, I use it for a pure clean sound. I may be in the minority on that.

 

I use a clean boost in front of it most of the time. It's really uncompressed, more so than any amp I've ever played. Hitting the front end adds a touch of compression that makes it even better.

 

JT

[IntelligentAl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N8wNmi9B40

 

[james90]

http://alltheragefaces.com/img/faces/png/misc-mother-of-gusta.png

 

"tone for days"

 

I'll have to make some clips, with and without a backing track. It's a unique fender circuit and the lack of reverb leads to as more pure tone, but a lot of people will miss having the verb.

 

I don't like to crank it up, I use it for a pure clean sound. I may be in the minority on that.

 

I use a clean boost in front of it most of the time. It's really uncompressed, more so than any amp I've ever played. Hitting the front end adds a touch of compression that makes it even better.

 

JT

 

6G6 or 6G6-B?

 

Strange that you say it's not that compressed... I've always found bassmans (or bassmen? haha) to have a good bit of compression

 

At least to their cranked sound - I'm guessing you're referring to the clean sound

 

I've got this JTM 45 clone (you're probably aware that the JTM 45 is a copy of the bassman circuit)... I really need to make a recording of that. It wasn't dialed in to be a clean sounding amp though, but the distorted sounds are amazing.

[Impulse 101]

6G6-B

 

JT

[Cosmo57]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N8wNmi9B40

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95SYdjRVCR0

 

 

dat toan. All my want

[Impulse 101]

F'ing iPad!

 

See below.

Edited January 25, 2012 by Impulse 101

[Impulse 101]

I like the Blonde a lot more than the Blackface and I have the original factory loaded 2x12 cab with JBL D120 speakers. Nothing comes close to that combination. I also have it loaded with NOS tubes, which helps too. It pretty much rules. There is only one Fender that comes close and that is a blackface Super Reverb.

 

I'll post some clips soon.

 

JT

[matthijs]

The Bassman is awesome. Can't say enough good things about it. It was my Dad's amp and I'll give it to one of my kids one day.

 

JT

 

Do you jump channels as well or do you just use it straightforward?

[james90]

I like the Blonde a lot more than the Blackface and I have the original factory loaded 2x12 cab with JBL D120 speakers. Nothing comes close to that combination. I also have it loaded with NOS tubes, which helps too. It pretty much rules. There is only one Fender that comes close and that is a blackface Super Reverb.

 

I'll post some clips soon.

 

JT

 

Nice, I had a blonde bassman at one point but it wasn't exactly stock. Sounded nice from what I remember, though. I'm going to have to get another one at some point....but my next planned purchase is a Friedman amp.

 

Do you generally think NOS tubes are worth it?

 

I really only use them in old amps, though there are some exceptions.

 

edit:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120848976293

 

Notice how I said planned purchase

 

What do you think? It looks pretty much stock except for the changed electrolytics really

 

Obviously it's not pre-CBS like the guy says, but I knew that from it being an AB165 (and I think pre-CBS would be 1964 and earlier)

Edited January 25, 2012 by james90

[Impulse 101]

Nice, I had a blonde bassman at one point but it wasn't exactly stock. Sounded nice from what I remember, though. I'm going to have to get another one at some point....but my next planned purchase is a Friedman amp.

 

Do you generally think NOS tubes are worth it?

 

I really only use them in old amps, though there are some exceptions.

 

edit:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120848976293

 

Notice how I said planned purchase

 

What do you think? It looks pretty much stock except for the changed electrolytics really

Obviously it's not pre-CBS like the guy says, but I knew that from it being an AB165 (and I think pre-CBS would be 1964 and earlier)

 

He's playing word games. Technically the circuit was designed before the buyout and he listed it as a Pre CBS circuit, which is half true. The amp looks fine but the blackface circuit has some pretty major differences from the Blonde that I have and I really prefer the blonde heads. His price was acceptable but not all blackface amps ere created equal and the best blackface tones come from the Supers.

 

JT

[Impulse 101]

Do you jump channels as well or do you just use it straightforward?

 

You can't directly jump he channels on my head. There is an extra gain stage on the bass side and it's out of phase with the normal channel because of that. I've used a pedal to flip he phase an run them both at the same time but it really didn't do much for me. I use one side or the other, a clean boost or compressor in front of the normal channel and a Tube Screamer in front of the bass channel. It doesn't need much more than that to be epic.

 

JT

[james90]

He's playing word games. Technically the circuit was designed before the buyout and he listed it as a Pre CBS circuit, which is half true. The amp looks fine but the blackface circuit has some pretty major differences from the Blonde that I have and I really prefer the blonde heads. His price was acceptable but not all blackface amps ere created equal and the best blackface tones come from the Supers.

 

JT

 

Actually, I guess you're right - AB165 means the circuit is from january 1965 doesn't it?

 

I've actually owned several different bassmans...I recall I've had

 

6G6-B

AA864

AA165

AB165

 

I think the 6G6-B sounded the best out of those.

 

I also had a early-mid 70's bassman 50 which was pretty nice, but it had a lot more headroom, and it was a little brighter...not quite as warm.

 

What tubes have you got in yours? I might replace those new production tubes with some NOS when I get the amp.

[Impulse 101]

Mine are a total hodgepodge of tubes. I'd got a box of old 12AX7's from a friend so I tested them and selected out the ones that I though sounded best. I have a couple sets of American made power tubes from the 80's that are still in the boxes. I use them for recording and JJ 6L6's for general use playing.

 

JT

[james90]

Mine are a total hodgepodge of tubes. I'd got a box of old 12AX7's from a friend so I tested them and selected out the ones that I though sounded best. I have a couple sets of American made power tubes from the 80's that are still in the boxes. I use them for recording and JJ 6L6's for general use playing.

 

JT

 

How come you switch them out? I imagine they'll last at least 5x as long as the JJs

 

Phill can tell you how long his JJs lasted haha.

 

I've got my old plexi loaded with a quad of mullard EL34s and brimar ECC83s...those were expensive, but they should last quite a while. When I bought the amp, it had three of the original EL34s from the late 60's, so I think that says something.

 

Also, remember I mentioned surreal amps to you recently? He just finished my amp, and here it is

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP3wzaWIWHk

 

Uh... you can't see it, but you can hear it. It's sitting on top of the black one. Mine's got red tolex.

[Impulse 101]

JJ's have been pretty good for me. I get them from Doug's and if they burn out he replaces them. It's happened and he's been really good about it.

 

The NOS power tubes are specifically for recording, I don't want to use them for anything else.

 

Mullards are insane now, I wouldn't even think about trying to find a good quad. Too much money and work.

 

The Surreal sounds good in the clip. Very EVH Marshall flavored.

 

My next amp will be a Rhodes Colossus, they are as good as anything that I've played and are BY FAR the best four channel amp I've ever heard. Diezel doesn't even come close and I've spent a lot of time with the VH4.

 

 

JT

[james90]

JJ's have been pretty good for me. I get them from Doug's and if they burn out he replaces them. It's happened and he's been really good about it.

 

The NOS power tubes are specifically for recording, I don't want to use them for anything else.

 

Mullards are insane now, I wouldn't even think about trying to find a good quad. Too much money and work.

 

The Surreal sounds good in the clip. Very EVH Marshall flavored.

 

My next amp will be a Rhodes Colossus, they are as good as anything that I've played and are BY FAR the best four channel amp I've ever heard. Diezel doesn't even come close and I've spent a lot of time with the VH4.

 

 

JT

 

Yeah, sort of - I have this JCM 800 modded by Mark Cameron (I think it's called the Jose mod) which sounds very similar...sort of loses the Marshall sound though.

 

And yeah, Doug is great - I actually have some JJ preamp tubes in one of my amps, but I really don't trust their power tubes after the luck I've had.

 

Mullards are pretty insane, but I can see these nearly outliving me...especially since I don't get to use the amp that often. It's useless at low volumes because of how bright it is (but that's not what I bought it for)

 

I bought them from KCA, and I guess I was lucky. USPS didn't break them, and I'd say they have a good 10 hours on them now without any issues...not sure about drifting though.

 

How's the clean on the Rhodes? The one thing that I couldn't stand on the VH4 was the "clean" which was really more of an unpleasant light overdrive...

[Phill]

Ha yeah, I didn't have a great experience with JJs. I thought my amp was fucked because I had basically new tubes in there, after stripping it bare and my tv/stereo technician grandad spending a few days doing mods and checking everything out before giving up I switched the tubes around and released one of the JJs was blown already.

Should have checked the valves first huh...

[Impulse 101]

Where did you get them from?

 

I use Eurotubes and his JJ's are usually good to go. I don't know if thats an option in the UK though.

 

James, the.clean on the colossus is excellent. I'm not kidding when I say that every channel is worthy of being its own amp and Kyle Rhodes is a kick ass dude. His switching system, controller and other external equipment is great too. There were a few Collossi at NAMM this year and I think things will take off for him. I cant wait for the Chicago ampfest this year, I want to get my hands on one of those amps again.

 

JT

[Phill]

Pretty sure it was Eurotubes. Probably a one off. I think the first set they sent one of the 6L6s was bad, maybe damaged in postage. They sent a new one out no problem, then I had a problem a little while later with the phase inverter or one of the other little ones.

[james90]

Where did you get them from?

 

I use Eurotubes and his JJ's are usually good to go. I don't know if thats an option in the UK though.

 

James, the.clean on the colossus is excellent. I'm not kidding when I say that every channel is worthy of being its own amp and Kyle Rhodes is a kick ass dude. His switching system, controller and other external equipment is great too. There were a few Collossi at NAMM this year and I think things will take off for him. I cant wait for the Chicago ampfest this year, I want to get my hands on one of those amps again.

 

JT

 

I haven't had the best luck with eurotubes. I've heard of other people having issues as well.

 

I only really buy from Doug now, and NOS stuff from KCA.

 

How would you describe the distorted sounds on the Rhodes?

 

I gave up looking for an amp that does everything. It's like you can't have a good clean, OD, and lead channel.... you have to pick one or the other

 

I know that's not true, but I think the only amp I had that came close to that was the H&K triamp MK II

 

Pretty sure it was Eurotubes. Probably a one off. I think the first set they sent one of the 6L6s was bad, maybe damaged in postage. They sent a new one out no problem, then I had a problem a little while later with the phase inverter or one of the other little ones.

 

Yeah, I remember being on MSN with you trying to troubleshoot it... ended up switching them out one by one haha

 

I can't remember if you ever sorted the reverb issue though

[Phill]

I think there's a problem with the reverb tank. I ended up just taking it out and have never bothered buying a new one. I just use the reverb on my RE20 how although it'd be nice to have the spring reverb back.